Nut-lock.



W. H. & C. L. SEMON.

HUT LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED P21315, 1912.

Patented July 8, 1913.

2 SHBBTS-SHBBTI W. H. & C. L. SEMON.

NUT LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED HBM, 1912,

1,066,761 Patented July 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

www Illllmllll'lwllu nl l *mi AW Vcd UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HENRY SEMON AND CHARLES LOUIS SEMON, .OF RAVENNA, OHIO,

NUT-Loon.

Specication of LettersvPatent.

Patented July 8,1 913.

Application filed February 15, 1912. Serial No. 677,791.-

v appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in nut locks.

One object of the invention is to provide a nutl lock having an improved construction and arrangement of locking mechanism whereby the nut may be effectually secured in position and prevented from becoming jarred locsc or casually unscrewing. from the bolt but which may be readily removed when desired by the use of a suitable tool.

Another object is to provide a nut locky which will be strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, efficient and reliable in operation and which is particularly adapted for use in connection with the fish plates of railway rails.

With these and other objects in View, the

' invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and. arrangement of parts as will' be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through a railway rail and fish plates illustrating our improved nut lock applied thereto and showing the latter in side elevation F ig. 2 is a similar View showing the locking mechanism and nutin section; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view through the bolt showing an inner end view of the head thereof; Fig. 5 is an inner end view of the lish plate engaging washer; Fig. 6 is an outer end view of the same; Fig. 7 is a side view of the nut; Fig. 8 is aninner end view of the same; Fig. 9 is a side view. of one of the fish plates ofthe rail with which the nut lock is engaged; Fig. 10 is a det-ail view of the tool employed for releasing the nut locking mechanism.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the railway rail to which our improvednut. lock is applied and 2 denotes the fish plates. The rail 1 is rovided with the usual bolt holes 3 while the fish plates have formed therein elliptical shaped holes 4. Engaged with the bolt holes 3 in the rail and with the boltI hole in one of the fish plates is o'ur'bolt 5, said bolt e having on one end a head comprising a cylindrical outer portion G anda reduced elliptical shaped inner portion .7, said elliptical shaped inner portion being engaged with the elliptical shaped hole tin the adjacent ish plate.

The boit 5 has its threaded end projecting a suitable distance4 beyondthe side of the opposite fish plate v:and on the projecting end of the boit is arranged a nut 8 having on inner end a cylindrical spring supporting extension '9 on which, adjacent to the inner end of the squared outer portion of the nut is for1ned,a radially projecting annular flange 10 having on its inner surface an annular series of ratchet teeth 11. Loosely mounted on the bolt adjacent to the inner end of the cylindrical extension 9ct the nut is a locking washer 12 having on its inner side a reduced elliptical shaped extension 13, which corresponds in size and shape to the elliptical hole 4 in the adjacent fish plate. By providing the head of the bolt and the washer with elliptical. shaped portions which are engaged with the elliptical shaped holes in the fish plates, said boltsl and washer are securely held against roe tation. Y' A v On theouter side of the washer 12 is formed a series rof ratchet teeth 14 which are disposed oppositely to the ratchet teeth 11 on the flange of the nut. On the cylindrical extension 9 of the nut between the toothed flange thereon and the washer is arranged a coiled nut locking spring 15, the ends of which are bent outwardly to a slight extent to form spring pawls 1(5`which engage the ratchet teeth on the flangeoft-he nut and on the adjacent surface of the washer whereby when the nut is screwed up on the bolt the spring will 'be compressed and will thus hold the pawls 16 on the ends thereof in yielding engagementI with the ratchet teeth of' the flange andl washer. The pressure of the spring when thus compressed by the nut will hold the pawlsin sufficiently tight engagement with the ratchet teeth to prevent any possibility ofthe nut unscrewing or becoming loose on the bolt until the pawl at one end or the other of the spring is released from the ratchet teeth with which it is engaged. This releasing of the pagwl may be accomplished by the use of any suitable tool or instrument, but We preferably employ a releasing tool 17oonstructed be understood that the teeth on the flange of the nut Will slip over the paWl on the adjacent end of the spring, While the pawl on the opposite end-of the spring will slip over the teeth on the inner side of the washerso that said paWls Will not interfere with the screwing up of the nut. It Will also bel understood that the engagement of the elliptical shaped extension 13 of the Washer by its engagement with the elliptical shaped hole in the adjacent fish plate will hold said Washer against turning, so that the teeth on the opposite side of the washer form Stops for the pawl on the adjacentend of the springA therebyholdng said spring against turning, so thatnthe` pawl on thev opposite end of the spring which engages the teeth on the flange of the nut will securely hold the nut against unscrewing from the bolt. It is further to be noted'that the end of the extension 13 of the locking washer 12 is of suicient length to be bindingly engaged with the rail when the spring supporting nut 8 is forced against the Washer thereby compressing the spring 15 and causing the ends of the latter to simultaneously and yieldingly engage with the ratchet teeth on the faces of the Washer and nut. In bindinglyengaging the partsv thus described the enlarged portion 7 of the bolt is simultaneously brought in clamping contact with one side of the web of the rail when the confined inner end of the ;en sion 130i the locking Washer 12 is fcrced against the opposite side of the web portion of the rail, for the purpose fully described.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of theinventio-n will be readily understood Without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be -resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the-advantages of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is;

The combination with the web portion of a rail and oppositely disposed fish plates adjacentv thereto, of a bolt freely passingthrough the latter, said bolt having an enlarged portion adapted for Contact with one side of the Web of the rail., a locking flanged washer having a projection slidingly engaged in the'opening in one of said plates, and contacting with the opposite side of the web. of the rail, said Washer having ratchet teeth formed on its outer face, a nut adjustable upon said bolt and provided with va reduced spring supporting extension adapted for binding contact With the Washer, and a spring closely encircling the extension of the nut with its opposite ends in yieldin contact with the teeth on the Washer an flange of the nut, whereby the spring is cornpressed and the parts yieldin'gly and positively locked in respect to one another with the projection of the Washer and thel enrged portion of the bolt in contact with the rail.

In testimony Awhereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM HENRY SEMON. CHARLES LOUIS SEMON.

Witnesses:

ROBERT OLIVER BUGLE, JOHN FRANK STENGER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for fvepcents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

` Washington, D. C. 

